Creation Care Sermon

Nathan Goldbloom

Seattle Pacific University

November, 11^th 2011

THEO 6030

Theology and Environmental Ethics Sermon

Readings during the service: Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 72; Colossians 1:15-23

I’ll tell you of a place long, long ago. A place we all dream of and know. Back when the grass was still green, the pond was still wet and the clouds were still clean. The beautiful Truffula tree stretched as far as the eye could see. Playful Barbaloots roam the forest in their Barbaloot suits and ate truffala fruits. The Swomee Swans sang as the humming fish hum rang. Yes, this place is a place of beauty and life. That is until once-ler came with his knife. He sawed and cut until he brought down an elegant Truffula tree. This act would change the course of history. You see the Once-ler used the beautiful tree to make a Thneed. He claimed it was a fine something that all people need. (Seuss)

When we imagine the Garden of Eden all in tune from the sandy sun capped dune to the harvest moon. It is all created to be good and a beautiful place. The space is not what draws us in though, but the unlimited grace. The presence of God, walking along side, no need to hide. And like in the world of Dr. Seuss, everything has a reason. That is until the Once-ler comes and commits his treason. His treason affects everything from now on. Just like the sin of Adam and Eve would impact all humanity and beyond.

The Once-ler actions parallel our own care for God’s creation. As we sit here today the earth is groaning around us in agitation. Our population of seven billion has caused mass devastation. 850 million of those people are facing starvation. Each year, tropical forests the size of Indiana meet eradication. Fifty percent of the people in the world do not have an adequate hydration. 2.6 billion people lacked water for proper sanitation. Our 251 million tons of municipal solid waste each year creates further contamination. Our rampant energy consumption has led to the degradation of air quality and caused harmful things like acid precipitation. This is just a sample of the ecological situation. I tell you this all not to bring guilt, but for us to begin an examination of our participation. We must now look at a better interpretation of what it means to be commanded to have domination. (Boulma 23-55)

Genesis 1 gives us a perspective on what our created purpose is. We are created in the image of God and given dominion over all the earth. What does it mean though to be created in the image of God? Theologian Dietrich Bonheoffer addresses this question in his book “Creation and Fall”. We must start with what we know about God. God is love, and source of life. God has true freedom. Then to create in God’s image the creation must also be free. Only such a creation, in freedom, would fully praise God and proclaim God’s glory. Bonheoffer explains that freedom is not a possession, object, or form. “Being free means ‘being free for the other, because I am bound to the other. Only by being in relation with the other am I free” (Bonhoeffer 63). Our freedom is not unlimited choices, but binding ourselves God. No one can rule without binding themselves to those that they care for and look after. “There is no ‘being free from’ without a ‘being free for’. There is no dominion without serving God” (Bonhoeffer 67). We become slaves to ourselves, desires, and to the world. There is no freedom “from” as we live in bondage. Instead, we must first be free for, free for God. We become free to rule as we are bound to brothers, sisters, and all creation.

We must not forget though that we are still creatures, lest we continue to make the same mistake that Adam and Eve feature. The fall described in the Bible comes from our desire to be like God, or Sicut Deus (Bonhoeffer 113). In this image we find true life from God which is pure and not reduced. We are for God and neighbor in our limited creaturliness. We live in obedience and faithfulness. When we act like God, Sicut Deus, we act as though we have no limit, individualized. Being “like God” binds us to our own selves, separates us from God and perverts justice to the marginalized (Bonhoeffer 113). The theme is present throughout scripture in the acts of humanity. Adam and Eve try to clothe themselves in Genesis three. In Luke 12, the rich man foolishly tries to store of grain. The Pharisees constantly used piteous living for personal gain.

How does this change our opinion what it means to have dominion? Psalm 72 read this morning gives us insight into what dominion stands for. We expect to hear a prayer for the king to include wisdom, here though the focus is for oppressed, persecuted, and poor. This is consistent with scripture as God is constantly seeking justice, liberation, and salvation for the marginalized. To oppress the voiceless is chastised and despised. Dominion of creation then becomes our representation, to every nation, of the divine revelation and salvation given in the incarnation.

Our passage from Colossians comes into play at this point. What the apostle Paul is articulating here we can see present in simply the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus, fully human, born at a point and place in time must be understood through history. To fully understand who he is we must have the context of Israel and the Old Testament. It is through the Old Testament that we understand the role of Christ. In this role he serves as “the prophetic, High Priest, and kingly servant of God” (Barth 74). “It has proclaimed His word; that is its prophetic mission. By its existence it has to be a witness that God not only speaks, but pledges himself in person and surrenders himself even until death; that is its priestly mission. And, finally in its political helplessness, it has as witness among the other nations to indicate the lordship of God over men; that is its kingly mission” (Barth 77). We have been separated from God through our sin and desire to be “like God”. Christ then comes to us to reconcile, to bring us back to life through the new covenant. “For by covenant we mean Jesus Christ” (Barth 63). Both Jesus Christ’s full humanity and full divinity are needed to bring reconciliation to all of creation (Davis 129). See Christ is not simply building a bridge between creation and God, but that which binds us together (Dearborn). Jesus is the fulfillment of this mission and covenant that God has given. It is then through the unity with God in the person of Jesus Christ that we are able to once again bear the image of God and serve God obediently.

These three passages have given us a great foundation. Steven Bouma-Prediger takes us now to the many reasons we must care for God’s creation. Without nature and the earth we will not be alive. We do not want to deprive our future generations from the chance to survive. We are all connected and dependent on each other. Prediger points out that we when we do not live simply we end up smothered. There are many reasons that creation care is essential. Two of these arguments seem preferential. First, God has commanded us to do it. Genesis 2:15 and Leviticus 25 we cannot omit. As so we must submit to God’s command and care for the land. (Boulma 169-170). The second argument is that God’s concerns are also ours. This means caring for creation from the flowers to the stars. Being image-bearers leads us to show the care and love that God displays (Boulma 170). Let me rephrase ;“Human uniqueness is not a license for exploitation but a call to service” and reconciliation (Boulma 171). We have been given an amazing place. Care for all creation and its inhabitants is the only fitting response to God’s bountiful grace. (Boulma 172). While we understand these points of view, we must look at what we can do.

There is two pieces of homework for you today. First we must confess. When it comes to the world, we in America are the 1%. We are using up the resources hand of fist and causing major harm. After acknowledging that you too are a part of this planet and the issues that have arisen, I want you to take a look at your language. My wife and I love watching House Hunters on HGTV. We began to pick up on language of consumption. Those on the show talked about what they “need.” They “needed” a 6,000 square foot home for two people. They “needed” granite counter tops, backyard pools, movie theater rooms, and high end finishes. Their language though is a lie. They did not need it. They wanted it. Kessia and I have tried to make this change and I still catch myself. When I own up to it as a want, it is much easier to think about what the consequences are, the waste, the health risks, the damage to creation. What is it that you have bought into “needing” when it really is a want? You don’t need a new phone, cars, video games, ipads, fashionable clothes, best sports equipment, makeup, cologne, candy, expensive vacations, husky tickets, movies, or your morning coffee. Our needs are simple. We need basic shelter, simple clothes, healthy food, clean water and air. We need each other. Everything else is a want. Name it as such.

The once-ler had convinced everyone that they need this thing called a Thneed. He cut down more and more trees. Though the Lorax spoke up the Once-ler did whatever he pleased. They cut down more trees leaving nothing to spare. The animals were disappearing but the Once-ler didn’t care. He was as blind by greed to the devastation he caused. The Lorax kept pleading, but he would not pause. Then with a loud crack the last tree fell. With that the Lorax left as well. The Once-ler had got what he had wanted, but the Lorax’s last word kept him haunted. “Unless” was the word that was left behind. He left on a stone for all to find in hopes that it would remind. Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, nothing will get better. It will not. Remember the Lorax’s last proclamation was to care for all of God’s creation. (Seuss)

Works Cited

Barth, Karl. “Dogmatics in Outline.” New York: Harper and Row, 1959.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. “Creation and Fall.” Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1959.

Boulma-Prediger, Steven. “For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care.” Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010.

Davis, Ellen. “In Him all Things Hold Together.” Earth and Word. David Rhoads. New York: Continuum, 1997.

Dearborn, Kerry. “Redeemer God.” Seattle Pacific University. Nov. 10, 2011.

Dr. Seuss. “The Lorax.” New York: Random House, 1971.

Snow days

The entire area has been hit hard by snow. Redmond has around a foot of snow. While Seattle has gotten off far easier the city has basically shut down because of ice on the hills. I have spent the last two days in my home and playing outside in the snow. It has brought out a few things that I have been working through on the blog recently that I want to dig deeper into now. 

The first is how little things, or big depending on your view, can change our routines and get us uncomfortable. The big snow day Kessia and I got up and watched the snow fall down. We sat in silence and just enjoyed God's creation and the beauty of it. We enjoyed the simplicity and the way that the snow would dance in the air. The wind would knock the snow hard one direction and then the other. I could see different air currents in the snow patterns. It was fascinating and mesmerizing. 

Once up and found ourselves again watching as people tried to get up the hill right outside. They scrapped off their cars. Piled in and attempted the hill. You could hear the revving of the engines as people pushed harder hoping to take advantage of any traction. A few people seemed to be out helping by pushing cars up and doing what they can to help people get out. It is this theme that I saw repeated several times throughout the day. When our plans became dashed we no longer hinder ourselves to talk to neighbors, help out strangers, and support others in their lives. 

I took part in the pushing of cars later on when a resident of Radford became stuck on the hill. I had been building a Igloo, but that could wait when someone needed me. How often do we feel that on other days? Our downstairs neighbors were flying out that day and needed some assistance to make their trip possible. This opened up conversation and let us get to know them a little better. 

Why can't we do these things normally? What hinders us? We claim to be busy, or that it is none of our business. We seem to think that it will harm someone to ask if they need help or request help ourselves. I imagine how the day would have gone without the snow. Our downstairs neighbors would have stopped at a library when their printer wouldn't work. I would not have been able to help someone stuck in their car. 

These seem like simple things. Is this not what our possessions do to us? Is this not what our grand plans inhibit us from doing?  The verse that stuck out to me is how we are to go out a preach the good news and take nothing with us (Matthew 10: 5-10). What am I carrying that stops me from talking with people that I run into? 

I have to be honest. I can see in my minds eye many people that I encountered in the supermarket the other day that looked like they were struggling. What did I do? I got my food and got out so I could save time, and money. These unexpected opportunities, whether snow storm or unexpected encounter, can bring us face to face with Jesus. How will we respond? 

I love days like this that break up everyones plans. Many see it as disaster. I see it as a beautifully simple. As a snowflake dancing in the wind. Lord guide me. Blow away my plans and guide me to rest in your peace where you need me, each and every day. 

Today I make my first steps to REALLY following Jesus

There has been a thought racing through my mind over the last couple of weeks. How do I live out the gospel? I can teach about Jesus, but am I really doing what Jesus instructed? 

I was starting to feel this as I did some classic youth minister things of upgrade a room and implement a few new program things. I am trying to create a new culture in this church and ministry but what is the goal of that ministry? This started to bubble up in my and was only made worse by starting the book "Irresistible Revolution".  This book put words to what I was feeling and frankly messed me up. 

The book points out how we have this culture of what Christianity is, especially in the States. There is singing songs, going to church, flannel graphs, Sunday School, ect. These things are all nice, but is that really what Jesus wanted? The more I contemplated this the more I settled into the answer of no. Jesus wants us to study what he has to say, know it, but if we do not practice it then what good is our faith. By practice I do not mean sitting in church and being "active" that way. I mean going out and shaking up the world! 

It is great that we have pastors and churches to connect with, but what do we do with that? Instead of filling up our lives with serving others and taking care of the poor and "least of these" we sign our youth up for soccer, band, and buy video games and DVDs to entertain them. We entertain, subdue and focus on good behavior. Our church does not need good behavior but rebels and radicals like the one on the cross. We need to not sit back and allow our lives to be filled up so we are "too busy to help". I fully believe that the hardest place to ACTUALLY follow Jesus is in the United States. Not because of government, but because of the church itself and the culture that we have all bought into. 

I have resolved that I want to become a radical. I no longer want a faith that is easy, but one that puts me in tension with everything. I never want to be comfortable, but uneasy and struggling. 

This is not something that I am going to let slide by. Jesus sent out his disciples into the world and told them to take nothing with them. Why? I believe he did this because He wanted his followers to interact with the world and we do not do that when we cling to the things we know and possessions we have. Example- If I can pay for myself why would I talk to people and try and find food, shelter, and clothing. When we have nothing we are braver to trust in God and reach out to others. 

I wish I could go live in India and work at the home for the dying and the destitute. I wish I could work with Lepers and take nothing. This how ever will never be my way. I have always had a horrible immune system that has lead to me contracting Tuberculosis when I went on a mission to Mexico. In that light, Kessia and I have talked and decided some ways we are going to try and break the spell of the culture on us right here to inspire others to live differently. We will add and adapt when we become comfortable with these things.  

We are going to do no light summers. This means no light switch will ever be flipped on in our house from June to September. We waste so much electricity by staying in doors with the blinds drawn. This will also allow us to get up earlier and go to bed earlier. The heat will also go off completely.

I will not buy another video game for myself. I love video games, but I have wasted so much money on them. These games pull me away from people in the world and keep me from spreading the gospel. They keep me alone, isolated, and often angry. 

This is where we will start. We have thought of getting rid of TV, movies, and video games. We talked about giving up electricity. Making all of our clothes. Growing all of our own food. Giving up single occupant transportation. Giving up the grocery store during Lent to limit and simplify. We have also thought about where we can help and volunteer for the least of these. Some of these things we are not ready for, but want to consider. Maybe we will make it there. 

Here is where I start becoming the radical I believe Jesus wanted me to be. It is a small thing now. Hopefully we can grow and as we break the spell new more radical ideas will take the place. 

Today is the day Jesus, I am taking my first steps to living out what it is that you have asked of me. Break down my barriers. Form my mind. I will no longer try to lead you Lord, but instead truly break down and become your obedient servant. 

Atheist sign at Olympia

For those who have not heard there is a battle raging on about a sign down at Olympia that essentially says there is no religion. Fox News has shown this and outraged many in the nation. No doubt they are using this to show once again how society is having an onslaught against Christmas and our Savior. 

I was going to avoid this topic on the blog, but I read an article from Seattle Times and noticed some of the comments that were being thrown about. There is a battle going on of people trying to say that religion has no right to display on government property or people need to not "rule others lives" with their beliefs. To me this seems to be very short sighted. I first want to say that there is some truth to religious people often doing that. Although what I find interesting is this argument that "others should not control my life". Take a peek at one of those thoughts: "There isnt anything wrong with you believing in a god. Its when you try to rule my life with your god and religious teachings that were going to have a serious conflict. God is not in my life and I feel fulfilled. I feel a common good." To me this is just ironic because of a situation that happened a church just the other day.

The church I work at has a preschool coop that rents out space and has many children that come and got to school there. I recently found out that our church can not put up any pictures of Jesus or anything in our own church, because the school is there. This is the churches OWN building! This idea that atheists/nonbelievers are the victim of big bad religion coming to not let them have their peace is silly. To me both groups are locked in battle to have their beliefs held more prominently. Religion is held out of schools, government buildings, and public spaces. Teachers are reprimanded or fired for sharing their faith or wearing crosses. It is just plain silly to think that this does not go both ways. Both Religions and Atheists are trying to rule each other's lives. 

This argument of not wanting others to decide things on their life is just plain ridiculous. Who decided it was not ok for us to murder someone? Who decided it was not ok to steal things? We see many atrocities on the news all the time where someone has done something "wrong". They believe it was ok or justified, so why don't we leave it at that if we do not want others to rule our lives. The market collapse and banks exploiting people for their own profit was another example of people doing right by themselves. By having a government we give up a large part of our "freedom" for security. The truth I have found that true freedom only comes when resting in God. I will save that discussion for another time though. 

The other thing to mention is how much I disagree with FoxNews about people trying to get rid of Christmas. I honestly fear more that they embrace Christmas, because of who they is. Most the battle seems to be over media and retailers (saying Merry Christmas). These two entities only embrace the time of the year because they can make a buck on it. They do not care about the reason why we celebrate Christmas. What these stories and outlets care about is that the culture has adapted the gift that God gave us into a reason to share gifts with one another. The industry capitalized on this by selling things we do not need. Last I checked materialism is not high on Jesus' list of things to help draw us closer to God. Foxnews does not really care about this. What they care about is "making" the news as much as reporting it. The more people they find a way to outrage then the more money they can pull in from advertisements. 

I guess what I am really trying to get at here is to pull back the vail on our eyes about what is going on here. This is not to offer solutions (I don't want to be here till easter typing), but to think about what it is that we are seeing, reading, and arguing. 

Unapologetically-Merry Christmas!